4 reasons starfish need protection now:

Sea stars, or starfish , are famous for their healing powers (they can regrow their own amputated limbs!) and their central disc. Today, they’re at the center of “the largest wildlife die-off ever recorded” — some populations have disappeared by 95 percent — and scientists are racing to save them. It’s a Starfish Catastrophe American scientists recently met in Seattle, reports King 5 News , to discuss this truly catastrophic event where millions of sea stars have died. We should all be concerned about this historic die-off. Sea stars do more than just decorate our oceans. They are keystone predators that keep our ecosystem healthy. Oregon State University unpacks their ecological importance: In particular, they attack mussels and keep their populations under control. Absent enough sea stars, mussel populations can explode, covering up algae and other small invertebrates. S...